for knightbynight: For now and hereafter...

[stands_for_hope]

[some time after the events here]

Superman and Batman were partners in more than a work sense. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent were an adorable (if mildly ridiculous) couple. Kal-El of Krypton and a man who defied any definition outside of the single letter 'B' made time on weekends, worked around world crises and teenage tempers, and occasionally fell into bed together when the stars aligned. Thankfully, they aligned relatively often.

Wayne Manor received a delivery of organic produce and baked goods once a week from a small, independent farm in the heartland. Lois Lane was a little less likely to agree with snide comments about the uselessness of Bruce Wayne, especially after seeing the utter madness that was Clark's desk after a few weeks. The texting habits of a certain blond teenager in Kansas rose sharply... and in parallel to that of a certain former street punk in Gotham.

Life was... well, it was good, even if it was also Life. Until it wasn't. Until everything changed.

They all had enemies, of course. But the problem with Superman's enemies was that they were coherent enough to decide to team up. And crazy enough to use the kind of weaponry that could make whole cars just vaporize into nothing.

Crazy enough to point that weapon at a somewhat-pinned Batman and a Wonder Woman who was digging him out from the rock. Crazy enough to point that weapon at Batman.

Bruce.

B.

Clark didn't even make the choice. His heart made it for him. The beam shot out of the Toyman's mechanical monstrosity and Clark flew, the pain of the beam itself nothing on the fact that he was leaving Bruce behind. That his vision of them as old men together would never happen. That he was leaving behind a world that needed him.

The guilt that, if it meant saving them, saving him, he didn't regret a thing.

Comments

[stands_for_hope]

Clark leaned over just a little and nudged Bruce's leg from his spot on the sofa.

"It sounds like something, all right."

And he's not calling it normal. Because it's better than normal. It's special. It's this... wonderful thing where regardless of where he is, how crazy things might have gotten, how terrified he is in general of the future, he at least knows one thing and that's that Bruce isn't going to leave him behind.

Possibly even if he should.

[knightbynight]

Bruce snorted inelegantly and responded to the nudge by draping one of his legs over Clark's lap and slouching down deeper into the sofa cushions.

"You're being ridiculous again."

Sweet, Bruce. That's the word you want.

[stands_for_hope]

He looked askance at Bruce.

"You put that foot there and you might get a foot rub. Just giving you warning now."

What? He'd been well goddamn trained years ago on that score.

[knightbynight]

"More cat, less dog."

He should explain, but he clearly wasn't going to. Just stayed draped there, like that, and relaxed into the couch. He liked this place more than he remembered. Maybe it was the company. Maybe it was just the exhausted collapse of a control freak trying not to be one.

[stands_for_hope]

Clark got it. Bruce was flopped over him to proclaim that this 'human' was his and because it was comfortable and less because he was looking for attention. He even smiled a little and let his hand rest lightly against that leg.

[knightbynight]

That got the first sincere grin out of Bruce that had been on his face since Clark had been missing. "I knew you weren't dumb." He swung his other leg up and around to finish making his proclamation. "And I didn't even have to hiss."

[stands_for_hope]

He'd missed that grin. He was going to do everything in his power to get more of those. They lit up his face and there was nothing better.

"I did own a cat for most of my childhood," he pointed out with a low, easy chuckle as he adjusted Bruce's leg just a little for both their comfort. His hands stayed once he had, though. Just a light touch.

[knightbynight]

Bruce stretched his legs a bit over Clark's and with his feet draped that way was leaned back against the arm of the sofa and just fine. He blinked at Clark, very, very slowly while holding eye-contact. Sort of experimenting with him.

Because he needed more hobbies or something.

[stands_for_hope]

Clark took the time to blink slowly back at him and gave one leg, then the other, a single slow pet before putting his hand down against the side of one of them and leaning back again.

[knightbynight]

Bruce - blinked more normally, then laughed and swung and then flipped around to rest his head in Clark's lap instead. "I think I may spend the night here. You don't have to."

[stands_for_hope]

He looked down at Bruce and rolled his eyes a little as he carefully let his hands sink into Bruce's hair.

"I know I don't have to."

[knightbynight]

Bruce kept his eyes open and intently, sharply, watchfully on Clark. He did not, however, utter a single syllable of protest for the hands in his hair.

"Then rephrase it as a question. I'm staying here tonight. What are you doing?"

[stands_for_hope]

"Staying here tonight," Clark said easily enough, smiling down at him. This was... nice. And easy. He was warming to the space entirely apart from what they'd come here for.

[knightbynight]

Good. Because warming to the space separately was the reason Bruce was sprawled on Clark's lap and the reason that he had opted to spend the night himself.

...As a bid to Clark warming to and relaxing within it.

"Take-out, or grocery run?" he asked, easily.

[stands_for_hope]

"I don't know," he admitted with a sideways look over towards the kitchen area. "It's a beautiful kitchen. Then again, I could certainly do with a bit of take out."

He looked down at Bruce again, his hands continually moving in light scritches and strokes.

"Do you have a preference?"

[knightbynight]

"I'll have some basic groceries delivered along with a take-out meal." It was a calculated decision. A relaxing, low key night and then Clark could cook in the morning or if he wanted and continue to make himself feel comfortable in the space.

And keep feeling more at ease within it, Bruce hoped. Normalize it, separate it from being a 'sex crib' or something... unsavory.

[stands_for_hope]

Clark couldn't help leaning down to kiss him lightly on the lips. Bruce really was... incredible. So incredibly sweet sometimes.

He wouldn't voice that sentiment since it would make him cranky, but he could think it.

"Perfect. How does Thai sound?"

[knightbynight]

"Xỳāng nī̂," Bruce said, completely deadpan.

Then he shifted around to fetch his phone from his pocket and hand it up to Clark. "You order that, I'll use the landline to order groceries."

Yes, he was sweet all right. He was not being sweet. He was being manipulative.

[stands_for_hope]

It's only manipulative if the person being 'manipulated' doesn't realize it. And Clark is well aware that Bruce is trying to make him comfortable, make him feel better, make him feel safe and good.

And it's sweet.

"You in a curry mood or something more complicated?"

[knightbynight]

"Surprise me." He sits up and swings his legs around and heads off to make the grocery order. Which, yes, he is fully capable of doing a good job of, particularly when it relates to a single meal.

[stands_for_hope]

Batman can do anything. But he has to want to do it well.

Clark, for his part, was good enough at ordering Thai to get what they might want. Then he started thoughtfully floating through the apartment, getting a feel for the space.

[knightbynight]

Bruce turned his head slightly toward Clark to keep an eye on the floating, but mostly stayed out of the way, made his order for groceries, called Alfred to let him know that he would be staying out with Clark, checked on Jason, did a quick new set of alerts for his phone and then stuck his head into where Clark was.

"I'm going down to pick up our deliveries. I'll be back within half an hour.

[stands_for_hope]

"I love the high ceiling here," Clark noted with a little smile before shaking off some of his relaxation to nod over at Bruce.

"I'll be here."

[knightbynight]

Bruce went out and was gone for right about that half hour before he came back with grocery bags in one hand and takeout ones in the other. He had to kick the door shut behind him, but he carried it all into the kitchen to unload.

"This place always reminded me a bit of you."

[stands_for_hope]

Clark was floating in the main area, stretched out as far as he could go for a moment before turning and smiling down at Bruce. Then he was gliding down to the ground, feet touching the carpet beside Bruce to lean in and kiss his cheek before helping with the groceries.